Mythology: Chinese

"China maintains a cultural tradition rich in ancient folklore and myths that are populated by gods and other supernatural beings ... "

"Chinese mythology encompasses a wide range of folklore, history, and religious belief across numerous time periods and peoples, including the present day. Many of these myths are intricately bound to philosophy, religion, tradition, and society ... "

"Chinese mythology is a collection of cultural history, folktales, and religious tradition that has been passed down for centuries in oral or written form. There are several aspects to Chinese mythology, including creation myths and legends, and myths concerning the founding of Chinese culture and the Chinese state ..."

"There are many varieties of this story. Some say that the Jade Emperor called a race of animals on his birthday to create the Chinese zodiac. Others say that it was in fact, the Buddha who did. Nevertheless, both stories are essentially the same, excluding some minor details ... "

"The story goes that a race was organised by the Jade Emperor - one of the most important gods in traditional Chinese religion - who invited all the animals in the world to take part ... "

"The myth behind the Chinese zodiac, or Sheng Xiao, begins millennia ago. Legend has it that the Jade Emperor, the ruler of heaven, was creating a calendar. He invited all earthly creatures to participate in a race for the chance to join the Chinese zodiac cycle ... "

"Dragon in Chinese is called 'Long'龙/龍lóng, is a totem of the Chinese nation, a symbol of China, and it has the highest status among animals, deified by and sacred to Chinese people. The divine dragon is worshipped by the Chinese people, from ancient emperors to ordinary people today ... "

"Dragons appear in the mythology of many ancient cultures but nowhere else in the world was the creature quite so revered as in China. There, in marked contrast to other world mythologies, the dragon was almost always seen in a positive light and particularly associated with life-giving rains and water sources ... "

"The Chinese dragon is one of the world’s most globally recognized monsters. Playing a major role throughout Chinese history, they were both creators and destroyers and controlled the elements. They've influenced everything from politics to religion—what is it about the Chinese Dragon that makes it such a central figure in Chinese culture? ... "

" ... In the beginning, the world resembles an opaque swirling mass inside an egg. Inside this egg, Pangu is born. After eighteen thousand years, the egg breaks open. This happens either by itself or by Pangu wielding an ax from the inside, causing the shell to break ... "

"According to Chinese legend, the mighty Pangu, above, broke through the chaos with his strength and axe to create the world as we know it ... "

:This origin story comes from Chinese culture. It was first written down about 1,760 years ago, roughly 220 — 265 CE, yet it must have been told orally long before that ... "